In the related art, slide fasteners are used while attached to an opening of articles such as garments or bags (product attached with a slide fastener). Sliding the slider attached to the slide fastener along element rows allows for separating or coupling the element rows on the right and left, thereby opening or closing the opening of the article.
Generally, sliders used in slide fasteners include a slider body where an upper blade plate and a lower blade plate are connected by a guidepost and a tab rotatably held with respect to the slider body. An element guiding path of substantially a Y-letter shape to guide the element rows on the right and left is formed between the upper blade plate and the lower blade plate of the slider body.
Materials of slider bodies as described above include, generally, metals and synthetic resins. For example a slider body made of metal is formed by die casting molding of a metal material such as zinc alloy or aluminum alloy or by press working of copper alloy such as brass or stainless steel. A slider body made of synthetic resin is formed by injection molding of thermoplastic resin, such as polyamide, polyacetal, polypropylene, and polybutylene terephtalate into a predetermined shape.
The specification of Chinese Patent Publication No. 101579160 (Patent Document 1) discloses a slider, made of stainless steel, formed by metal injection molding. In metal injection molding (MIM), generally, fine powder of stainless steel and a binder of synthetic resin are mixed well to produce a metal raw material. The obtained metal raw material is subjected to injection molding and thereby produces a molded article called a green body. Thereafter, the obtained green body is placed inside a sintering furnace and degreasing and sintering are performed. This results in manufacturing of a product made of stainless steel.
Patent Document 1 describes that manufacturing of the slider made of stainless steel using metal injection molding is suitable for manufacturing of a slider of a desirable size and also has advantages of reducing waste and enhancing product performance. Other advantages described include cleaner surfaces, no bubbles generated, no oxidation, and no post-processing or auxiliary devices required.